Family celebrates life of slain Roanoke man
Ronnae Ramey, left, and her sister, Chasity Saunders, at their father's grave. Photo: Heather Rousseau
The Roanoke Times | Jan. 30, 2015
By Amy Friedenberger
Evelyn Ramey’s house in northwest Roanoke was full of people Friday night.
Ronald Ramey liked it that way.
Siblings, daughters, cousins and nephews were telling stories about him in his mother’s cozy living room scattered with potted plants. It would have been his 55th birthday, and he enjoyed birthdays.
During a Jan. 4 night of partying where the former Obenchain’s Greenhouses used to be, in the 3600 block of Shenandoah Avenue Northwest, Ramey was one of six gunshot victims. Ramey was among two men who died after he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.
After the news conferences and community prayers, nearly a month later, Ramey’s family bundled up and gathered around his grave at Williams Memorial Park.
“Happy birthday, Ronnie,” said Shantell Foster, Ramey’s sister. “We love you, and we miss you.”
Strong winds jerked around dozens of birthday balloons in the hands of about two dozen people singing “Happy Birthday” to Ronald Ramey, whom most people called Ronnie.
A few family members said some words before letting go of the balloons. LaShawn Ramey, Ronald Ramey’s niece, said that none of them knew he would be taken from them that night, but he was, and that was something they’d have to accept was God’s decision.
“At the end of the day, we’re all just borrowed,” she said.
Later that evening, about 30 people went to Ronald Ramey’s favorite restaurant, Kabuki Japanese Steak House in southwest Roanoke, for his annual birthday dinner. His daughters, Chasity Saunders and Ronnae Ramey, plan to keep the birthday dinner tradition going.
“I think I’m starting to get happier again,” Ronnae Ramey said. “It’s just not the same celebrating a birthday for someone who isn’t there.”
Roanoke police spokesman Scott Leamon said Friday that detectives are continuing to make progress in their investigation, and police are waiting for some lab work to return that may be beneficial to the investigation.
Police Chief Chris Perkins said in early January that evidence suggested there was more than one shooter, but only one person has been charged so far. William Christopher Cabbler, 36, was arrested three weeks ago on charges of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of ammunition as a convicted felon.
“For someone to open fire in a room full of people, with no regard for them, it’s horrible,” Saunders said.
The family worries that the environment of where the shooting took place — where police removed alcohol, drugs and firearms from what they called a “nip joint,” or illegal nightclub — left a bad public image for their father, who his daughters said liked to have fun, but wouldn’t hurt anyone.
“He was like the cool dad,” Saunders said. “I would go out with my dad, and I always felt safe knowing I was with him.”
Saunders was with her father the night he died. She flew in to visit from California, where she works, but her visit has extended under tragic circumstances.
“He entrusted his plans to me,” she said. “Nothing is more important to me than family.”
His two daughters said their father was a family man. He would go to concerts with Ronnae Ramey. When his little nieces flashed a straight-A’s report card, they got a reward. He never forgot anyone in his large family when it came to buying Christmas presents. His pets were like family, too, so when he was in the hospital once for a medical procedure, he had the doctors allow his South African Boerboel to be by his side when he got out of the operating room.
Ricardo Ramey said his brother was quiet but funny, and he had bad luck, so much so that people called him “bad-luck Schleprock,” after the “Flintstones” character that couldn’t shake his regular misfortunes. He once wrecked a car a week after he bought it. Another time he ended up in a ditch after driving on a snowy highway to watch the Washington Redskins. Ricardo Ramey said the fatal shooting was another instance of bad luck for his brother.
“He lived his life, and he didn’t let one thing stop him from it,” Ricardo Ramey said. “He just had bad luck.”
As midnight approached Thursday night into Friday, Saunders went outside. She always called her father on his birthday. When she looked up at the night sky, she said the sky had in it hints of burgundy — his favorite color because he rooted for the Redskins.
“I knew then that he was watching over me,” she said.
By Amy Friedenberger
Evelyn Ramey’s house in northwest Roanoke was full of people Friday night.
Ronald Ramey liked it that way.
Siblings, daughters, cousins and nephews were telling stories about him in his mother’s cozy living room scattered with potted plants. It would have been his 55th birthday, and he enjoyed birthdays.
During a Jan. 4 night of partying where the former Obenchain’s Greenhouses used to be, in the 3600 block of Shenandoah Avenue Northwest, Ramey was one of six gunshot victims. Ramey was among two men who died after he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.
After the news conferences and community prayers, nearly a month later, Ramey’s family bundled up and gathered around his grave at Williams Memorial Park.
“Happy birthday, Ronnie,” said Shantell Foster, Ramey’s sister. “We love you, and we miss you.”
Strong winds jerked around dozens of birthday balloons in the hands of about two dozen people singing “Happy Birthday” to Ronald Ramey, whom most people called Ronnie.
A few family members said some words before letting go of the balloons. LaShawn Ramey, Ronald Ramey’s niece, said that none of them knew he would be taken from them that night, but he was, and that was something they’d have to accept was God’s decision.
“At the end of the day, we’re all just borrowed,” she said.
Later that evening, about 30 people went to Ronald Ramey’s favorite restaurant, Kabuki Japanese Steak House in southwest Roanoke, for his annual birthday dinner. His daughters, Chasity Saunders and Ronnae Ramey, plan to keep the birthday dinner tradition going.
“I think I’m starting to get happier again,” Ronnae Ramey said. “It’s just not the same celebrating a birthday for someone who isn’t there.”
Roanoke police spokesman Scott Leamon said Friday that detectives are continuing to make progress in their investigation, and police are waiting for some lab work to return that may be beneficial to the investigation.
Police Chief Chris Perkins said in early January that evidence suggested there was more than one shooter, but only one person has been charged so far. William Christopher Cabbler, 36, was arrested three weeks ago on charges of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of ammunition as a convicted felon.
“For someone to open fire in a room full of people, with no regard for them, it’s horrible,” Saunders said.
The family worries that the environment of where the shooting took place — where police removed alcohol, drugs and firearms from what they called a “nip joint,” or illegal nightclub — left a bad public image for their father, who his daughters said liked to have fun, but wouldn’t hurt anyone.
“He was like the cool dad,” Saunders said. “I would go out with my dad, and I always felt safe knowing I was with him.”
Saunders was with her father the night he died. She flew in to visit from California, where she works, but her visit has extended under tragic circumstances.
“He entrusted his plans to me,” she said. “Nothing is more important to me than family.”
His two daughters said their father was a family man. He would go to concerts with Ronnae Ramey. When his little nieces flashed a straight-A’s report card, they got a reward. He never forgot anyone in his large family when it came to buying Christmas presents. His pets were like family, too, so when he was in the hospital once for a medical procedure, he had the doctors allow his South African Boerboel to be by his side when he got out of the operating room.
Ricardo Ramey said his brother was quiet but funny, and he had bad luck, so much so that people called him “bad-luck Schleprock,” after the “Flintstones” character that couldn’t shake his regular misfortunes. He once wrecked a car a week after he bought it. Another time he ended up in a ditch after driving on a snowy highway to watch the Washington Redskins. Ricardo Ramey said the fatal shooting was another instance of bad luck for his brother.
“He lived his life, and he didn’t let one thing stop him from it,” Ricardo Ramey said. “He just had bad luck.”
As midnight approached Thursday night into Friday, Saunders went outside. She always called her father on his birthday. When she looked up at the night sky, she said the sky had in it hints of burgundy — his favorite color because he rooted for the Redskins.
“I knew then that he was watching over me,” she said.
